UJ record win takes them to brink of semi-final

March 9 - UJ and Shimlas will fight it out for the remaining semi-final berth in Bloemfontein next Monday when the last round of the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup is played.

Even a draw for UJ and Shimlas - both on 18 league points - could see the highly unlikely occurrence of both them advancing ahead of UCT who are currently on 20 log points.

However, with a vastly superior points difference in favour of Ikeys, the Cape students will have to be trounced by Tukkies in Cape Town and in addition not gain a single bonus point at home.

The result between UJ and NMMU was probably never in doubt, but the margin was the burning question. In the end the UJ produced a record 97-14 victory over the hapless NMMU outfit in Johannesburg.

Apart from the records they shattered, the UJ boys kept alive their play-off hopes - knowing that they travel to Bloemfontein with their fate in their own hands.

For the record: The 83-point winning margin is the biggest ever, beating the 62-point margin Maties achieved against TUT earlier this year; the 97 points is also the most by one team - beating the 78 Shimlas scored against TUT last year. The 14 tries by UJ is also a record.

For UJ hooker Edgar Marutlulle scored a first-half hat-trick - while wing Lola Waka, fullback Aubrey McDonald and replacement flyhalf André Smith all scored two tries. Smith added seven conversions for a personal haul of 24 points, having come on for Ryno Luus at half-time.

The Maties retained their unbeaten status in the 2010 FNB Varsity Cup, presented by Steinhoff International, when they edged a resilient UCT 23-17 in a classic encounter at the Danie Craven Stadium on Monday night.

In front of a packed stadium the Maties raced to an early lead, only to see their Western Cape rivals produce a strong second half - with the Men in Maroon forced to hang on in the end.

The result left the Maties with an eight-point lead at the top of the standings - well clear of Pukke  who sent a strong message to the other contenders as they turned their season around with a convincing 51-17 win over the visiting TUT in Potchefstroom.

The bonus-point win saw the Potchefstroom students cement their place in the top four on the standings.

The star of the occasion in Potchefstroom was new lock Francois Robbertse, who replaced captain Dirco Rautenbach - scoring a hat-trick of tries in an impressive display.

While Maties can't be overtaken in first place, there is plenty to play for in next week's final round of league action.

Pukke will host Maties at the Fanie du Toit Stadium next week, knowing that defeat will open the front door for the third-placed UCT - just one point behind the Potch boys - to claim home ground advantage in the semi-final.

UCT host Tuks at the famous Green Mile, Groote Schuur Rugby Fields, in another must-win game in the final week of round robin action.

Tuks paid dearly for mistakes against Shimlas, who were the better rounded team at LC de Villiers Stadium.

The 27-23 defeat put an end to Tukkies' semi-final hopes, while Shimlas and UJ will now fight it out in Round Seven for that elusive fourth play-offs spot - unless the unthinkable happens and Tuks hammer UCT in Cape Town.